Mary Wilson, Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Supremes First #1 Single | EURweb Mary Wilson, Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Supremes First #1 Single Entertainment Music News Slider Top News 7 Comments 1899 views *A singer, a best-selling author, motivational speaker, businesswoman, former U.S. Cultural Ambassador, wife, mother, and grandmother, the legendary Mary Wilson continues to make great strides on her inevitable journey to greatness. Performing with the same passion as she did singing with the original Supremes as well as with her solo career, the world renowned celebrity also focuses to advocate for social and economic challenges in the United States and abroad. As an advocate, Ms. Wilson uses her fame and flair to promote a diversity of humanitarian efforts including ending hunger, raising HIV/AIDS awareness and encourage world peace. This June marks the 50th anniversary of the release of The Supremes’ first number-one hit single, “Where Did Our Love Go,” the first of five such consecutive hit singles. “Where Did Our Love Go” was released June 17th, 1964, and hit number one a couple of months later in August.

The Supremes – like the Beatles, who recently celebrated their 50th anniversary – changed the face of pop music and became trendsetters who broke down social, racial, and gender barriers, which all started with the wild success of their first number one song. Ms. Wilson will be releasing a new album this summertime entitled Life’s Been Good to Me. The exact release date is TBA, however two singles are currently available on iTunes, Amazon, and wherever else digital music is found: the title track, “Life’s Been Good to Me,” and the Mother’s Day song, “Darling Mother.” MOTOWN – THE SOUND THAT CHANGED AMERICA As an irresistible force of social and cultural change, Berry Gordy’s legendary Motown Records made its mark not just on the music industry, but society at large, with a sound that has become one of the most significant musical accomplishments and stunning success stories of the 20th century.

The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, the Marvelettes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and later Stevie Wonder and the Temptations, Michael Jackson & the Jackson 5 and Lionel Richie & the Commodores, their music communicated and brought together a racially divided country and segregated society, around the world, touching all people of all ages and race. After breaking down barriers and having pop radio embrace Motown artists, Berry Gordy set his sights on television. He booked his artists on popular shows such as American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show. After captivating national audiences with near-weekly performances on The Ed Sullivan Show, making history as among the first African-American artists on the show, and The Supremes were the first R&B act to play the country’s most prestigious night club, New York’s Copacabana, which paved the way for other R&B acts into the top cabaret circuits around the world. LITERARY ACHIEVEMENTS Ms.

Wilson’s “Dare to Dream” lecture, which she gives to young people, emphasizes the need for personal perseverance to achieve their goals, despite obstacles and adversities in their lives. The topic is the foundation of her best-selling autobiography “Dreamgirl – My Life as a Supreme.” Ms. Wilson later authored its sequel, “Supreme Faith – Someday We’ll Be Together.” In 2000, these two books, along with updated chapters, were combined to complete her third book. She is currently working on a fourth book, which will be a coffee table hardcover featuring the gowns, history and legacy of the Supremes. “THE STORY OF the Supremes FROM THE MARY WILSON Gown COLLECTION” “The Story of the Supremes from the Mary Wilson Collection” spotlights more than 50 gowns exposing the international community to the impact their fashion had on social issues in the United States. The exhibit traces their career from the early days when they were known as The Primettes to the glamorous height of their fame in the 70s. Their success story helped change racial perceptions during the time of the American Civil Rights movement and to appeal to the people of all ethnic backgrounds.

A magnificent collection of dresses worn by Mary Wilson, Diana Ross and Florence Ballard for live performances, television performances, including the Butterfly dress worn on their television special in 1968, and on album covers are featured alongside contemporary photographs and magazine spreads. The exquisite gowns were curated by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland for Ms. Wilson and later exhibited at the Detroit Historical Museum, the New York State Museum in Albany and the Long Island Museum. Several gowns have also been displayed at The Museum of Metropolitan Art in New York as part of the Rock and Roll of Fame Museum exhibit. The gowns worn by Ms. Wilson and the original Supremes – Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, as well as the 1970s Supremes – were on exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, then showcased in the United Kingdom before starting a tour for two more years in Europe. MS. WILSON: THE “GOODWILL AMBASSADOR” Ms. Wilson has toured the globe not only as a performer, but as advocate on behalf of social and civic issues. As a Supreme, she performed for Britain’s Queen Mother and the future King of Sweden and other international audiences. However, Ms.

Wilson’s global stature grew after former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell named her one of nine cultural ambassadors in 2003. As an official “goodwill” ambassador, Ms. Wilson visited poverty-stricken areas in Bangladesh, where she witnessed children as young as five years old having to break bricks to earn money for their families. In Pakistan, she spoke at Fatima Jinnah Woman University about pursuing their goals and “Daring to Dream.” In Mozambique and Botswana, Ms. Wilson addressed young people about the dangers of HIV and AIDS and her quest for world peace. In November 2004, she was one of the featured performers to headline the United Nations’ “World AIDS Day” concert at St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City. She later returned to the United Nations Building to lecture about the poverty, hunger and destruction she witnessed during her trips. SPEAKING AGAINST LANDMINES In 2007, Ms. Wilson was elated to be named spokeswoman for the Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI), a non-government organization that establishes partnerships to raise money and awareness for landmine clearance projects across the globe, including Sri Lanka, Laos and Vietnam.

When it was announced, Ralph L. Cwerman, president of the Humpty Dumpty Institute, called her “an original American icon” whose involvement will heighten attention to removal of these unexploded ordnances. “HDI is privileged to have her as its new spokesperson,” Mr. Cwerman said. “Mine clearance and landmine awareness around the world will benefit greatly as Mary begins to speak out against these cruel weapons of war.” In November 2007, Ms. Wilson traveled to Sri Lanka, where as many as 15 people are injured or killed every month by landmines. Her tour focused on clearing mines in northern Sri Lanka and regenerating the area’s dairy industry. Along with her seven-member band, Ms. Wilson gave a 90-minute concert, where she performed a medley of the Supremes’ greatest hits drawing diplomats, government officials and the news media to the dance floor. The proceeds from the concert were contributed to Sri Lankan charities assisting victims of landmines. Ms. Wilson also has visited Laos, which received a $3 million grant from the U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve the quality of life of children who were not attending school because they were hungry or in danger of unexploded ordnances. While in Muangkhai Village, Laos, Ms. Wilson personally pushed the button to detonate more than two tons of explosives found in and around villages and schools. In late 2008, her plans include travel to Vietnam, Cambodia and Okinawa, as well as returning to Laos, to clear landmines still active from the Vietnam War, which ended more than three decades ago. HUMANITARIUM ACHIEVEMENTS Over the years, Ms. Wilson has been highly recognized as the consummate humanitarian. She continues to devote her time and talent to assisting a diverse group of non-profit organizations, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the American Cancer Society, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, The Po Leung Kuk schools of Hong Kung, UNICEF, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Figure Skaters of Harlem, a youth organization committed to helping children realize their dreams to compete in the Olympics.

She has been active with Child Research, supporting a child around the world for the past 20 years. In 2003, the National Foundation for Women Legislators bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award on Ms. Wilson and invited her to a delegation of women legislators who traveled to Bahrain. She participated in a Trade and Civil Life Conference hosted by the Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain and is proud to have played a role in helping pass the Freedom Trade Bill between the U.S. and Bahrain. At the 37th Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in 2007, she received the Floyd Washington Auto Safety Advocacy Award for her commitment to auto safety. DREAM GIRLS/ THE PLAY/THE MOVIE Interest in the Supremes’ legacy was renewed after the release of the award-winning film “Dreamgirls,” in 2006. While the film created a wonderful piece of work using the likeness of the Supremes, as well as their history, Ms. Wilson said it did not depict their true story. SPEAKING OF WOMEN’S HEALTH Ms.

Wilson has also served as the national celebrity spokesperson for Universal Sisters; a division of the National Speaking of Women’s Health Foundation that helps women makes informed decisions about their health care, well being and personal safety. TRUTH IN MUSIC LEGISLATION Ms. Wilson has been instrumental in garnering support for the Truth in Music legislation, which protects the identities and rights of artists and prohibits imposter groups from using the names and likenesses of famous acts, such as the Supremes. Ms. Wilson and other 50 and 60 artists inspired Republican Sen. Robert Schuler of Cincinnati to introduce the ‘Truth in Music’ bill after they told him how bogus musical groups were using their names. At one point, at least five groups were claiming false ties to the Supremes. With the aid of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and Ohio elected officials, State Sen. Bob Robbins and U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Ms. Wilson played a key role in helping the grassroots movement descend on Capitol Hill. She also has testified before legislatures in Massachusetts, California and Washington, D.C. about the need for Truth in Music laws. Ms.

Wilson and the National Foundation for Women Legislators pushed to get the bill passed in Michigan, Illinois and other states. Ms. Wilson personally worked to get support for the legislation in Nevada, Missouri and Texas. So far, the bill has passed in more than 25 states. The bill approved an amendment to the Truth in Advertising Act (1968) that requires groups to have either an original member or a license to use their name. The Primettes Growing up in Detroit’s Brewster-Douglass Projects, Mary Wilson had enjoyed a passion for singing. Performing at an elementary school talent showcase, she met soon-to-be long time friend and future group mate, Florence Ballard. They made a pledge to remember each other if they ever joined a singing group. Ironically, in 1959, Milton Jenkins, manager of male singing group, the Primes, decided to create a spin-off girls’ group. A friend of the Primes, Betty McGlown, was first asked to join, and then Florence Ballard, who invited Ms. Wilson to join. At the same time, Ms. Wilson’s then neighbor, Diane Ross, was asked by a member of the Primes, and completed the quartet the Primettes.

After performing various gigs around Detroit, covering songs by popular artist, such as Ray Charles and the Drifters, the Primettes decide to audition for the up and coming Motown record company. Unfortunately due to their young age, Motown President, Berry Gordy, Jr. turned them down and suggested they come back after they graduated high school. Determined to leave an impression on Motown President, Berry Gordy, Jr – the young Primettes thinking that he didn’t like them – and join the stable of rising Motown stars, the Primettes frequented the Hitsville USA recording studio every day after school. Much to their surprise, ‘Prime’ members Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks joined with Otis Williams & the Distants and formed new male singing group The Temptations. Eventually, The Primettes themselves convinced Mr. Gordy to sign them to his label. Gordy agreed to sign them to his label, under the condition that they change their group’s name. With a collection of names from friends and family, Florence had chosen a name and on January 15th 1961 the Primettes officially became The Supremes. At this time Betty had left the group and was replaced with Barbara Martin.

In the spring of 1962, after recording a few songs for their first album, Barbara Martin left the group to marry her childhood sweetheart. Now the newly named Supremes: Florence Ballad, Diana Ross and Mary Wilson became a trio; which to this day remains one of their greatest trademark signatures. From 1961 to 1963, the Supremes recorded many songs and released eight singles, which did not garner much attention and jokingly earned them the title “no-hit Supremes” at Motown. But their fate changed dramatically in late 1963 when the song “When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes,” written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland, was released and peaked at number 23 on the Billboard pop chart. Although released in June, it was in August of 1964 that their single “Where Did Our Love Go,” reached number one on the U.S. pop charts and number three in the United Kingdom.

Four more number one hits soon followed, including: “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” “Stop In the Name of Love,” and “Back in My Arms Again,” making the Supremes the only group to have five consecutive number one hits. The Supremes success attracted many promotional opportunities allowing them to become one of the first pop groups of the 1960’s to do commercial endorsements, to include Coca-Cola, Arrid deodorant, and even their own “Supreme” white bread and wig brands. The Temptations and the Supremes taped two of the first TV Specials by any Pop stars. The TCB and GIT Specials were TV trends that are still popular today. ‘Diana Ross and the Supremes’ The year 1967 was pivotal for the group. Ms. Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong, Mr. Gordy renamed them “Diana Ross and the Supremes.” In January 1970, Diana Ross performed for the last time with the Supremes before pursuing a solo career. With Ross’ departure, Ms. Wilson was left as the only original member of the Supremes. Ms.

Wilson continued performing with Cindy Birdsong and Jean Terrell as the “New” Supremes, better known today as the “70’s Supremes.” The “New” Supremes scored a number of hits including “Up the Ladder to the Roof” (US number 10, UK number 6), “Stoned Love” (US number 7, UK number 3) and “Nathan Jones” (US number 16, UK number 5). These three singles were also R&B Top Ten hits, with “Stoned Love” becoming their last number one hit in December of 1970. Songwriting/production team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson produced another Top 20 hit for the group, a Supremes/Four Tops version of Ike & Tina Turner’s “River Deep – Mountain High.” In 1972, the Supremes had their last Top 20 hit single release, “Floy Joy,” written and produced by Smokey Robinson, followed by the final US Top 40 hit, “Automatically Sunshine” with Ms. Wilson on lead vocals, (US number 37, UK number 10). While Ms.

Wilson is best known as a founding member of the world’s most famous female trio, the legendary singer’s career did not stop there. The 70’s found Mrs. Wilson getting married and starting a family. Then in June of 1977, Ms. Wilson embarked on her own solo career and toured Europe and Asia while raising three new babies. Ms. Wilson has recorded two solo albums, including her self-titled debut in 1979 with the single “Red Hot,” and her 1990 release “Walk the Line.” In 1988, Mary Wilson accepted the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the Supremes when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1994, the Supremes received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 1998, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. In 2001, Ms. Wilson was the recipient of an Associate’s Degree from New York University and an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Paine College in Augusta, Georgia. Dreams Do Come True Since a young age, Ms. Wilson’s many accomplishments are vast.

Her many feats as a Supreme include her endorsement of Vice President Hubert Humphrey and the opportunity to sing at Command Performances for the Royal family in England and Sweden. Appearing as “Mary Wilson of the Original Supremes,” she is sought after to entertain all over the world; to include a performance for President Bill Clinton in the East Room of the White House at the Millennium Celebration. Even now as a mother and a grandmother, Ms. Wilson is fulfilling her personal desires to be involved in worthy causes around the world that improve the lives of individuals, families and all humanity. Ms. Wilson’s experience as a Supreme and cultural ambassador has greatly broadened her horizons and afforded her the pleasurable opportunity to present her talents, compassion and strength to the world. Fuck Yeah, The Supremes behindthegrooves : On this day in music history: August 22, 1964 - “Where Did Our Love Go?” by The Supremes hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 2 weeks. Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, it is the first chart topping single for the Detroit, MI based vocal trio.

When Holland Dozier Holland write “Where Did Our Love Go?” in early 1964, the song is originally intended for and pitched to The Marvelettes who will turn it down. The Supremes are initially not enamored of the song either, but record it anyway after string of failures which lead many around Motown to refer to the group as the “no hit Supremes”. The track is cut on April 8, 1964 in Motown’s Studio A in Detroit with The Funk Brothers providing musical support. Released on June 17, 1964, The Supremes along with numerous other acts will tour the US as part of Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand Caravan Of Stars Tour”. They will be bottom of the bill when the tour begins, and are unaware of the growing success of their record while on tour. Though they will notice that the audience reaction to their performances grows in enthusiasm as the tour progresses. By the end of the tour, The Supremes will be the headlining act, just the record is making its final ascent to the top.

Entering the chart at #77 on July 11, 1964, it will swiftly climb to the top of the chart six weeks later. It will be the first of twelve number one pop singles for The Supremes. “Where Did Our Love Go” is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1999. samweed : The Supremes are greeted by Berry Gordy and other celebrities on their opening night at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Just days later, Florence Ballard was fired from the group. At the time, Florence said the grueling schedule was too much for her to handle and she needed time off. Motown officials however, later said it was because of her “excessive weight gain” and poor work ethic that led them to the decision to replace her with Cindy Birdsong of Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, who had been used as a substitute for Florence on occasions when she was unable to perform. Florence later admitted that she felt like Berry and Diana Ross had been kicking her out for months. In fact, Cindy had been attending shows and rehearsing with Mary Wilson prepping for the eventual replacement under the guise of being a Supreme understudy.

(c. June, 28 1967) The Supremes - Biography | Billboard The Supremes 1961 Members: Cindy Birdsong Diana Ross Mary Wilson Jean Terrell Florence Ballard Lynda Laurence Scherrie Payne Susaye Greene Barbara Martin Betty McGlown The most successful American performers of the 1960s, the Supremes for a time rivaled even the Beatles in terms of red-hot commercial appeal, reeling off five number one singles in a row at one point. Critical revisionism has tended to undervalue the Supremes' accomplishments, categorizing their work as more lightweight than the best soul stars (or even the best Motown stars), and viewing them as a tool for Berry Gordy's crossover aspirations. There's no question that there was about as much pop as soul in the Supremes' hits, that even some of their biggest hits could sound formulaic, and that they were probably the black performers who were most successful at infiltrating the tastes and televisions of middle America. This shouldn't diminish either their extraordinary achievements or their fine music, the best of which renders the pop vs. soul question moot with its excellence.

The Supremes were not an overnight success story, although it might have seemed that way when they began topping the charts with sure-fire regularity. The trio that would become famous as the Supremes -- Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard -- met in the late '50s in Detroit's Brewster housing project. Originally known as the Primettes, they were a quartet (Barbara Martin was the fourth member) when they made their first single for the Lupine label in 1960. By the time they debuted for Motown in 1961, they had been renamed the Supremes; Barbara Martin reduced them to a trio when she left after their first single. The Supremes' first Motown recordings were much more girl group-oriented than their later hits. Additionally, not all of them featured Diana Ross on lead vocals; Flo Ballard, considered to have as good or better a voice, also sang lead. Through a lengthy series of flops, Berry Gordy remained confident that the group would eventually prove to be one of Motown's biggest.

By the time they finally did get their first Top 40 hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes," in late 1963, Ross had taken over the lead singing for good. Ross was not the most talented female singer at Motown; Martha Reeves and Gladys Knight in particular had superior talents. What she did have, however, was the most purely pop appeal. Gordy's patience and attention paid off in mid-1964, when "Where Did Our Love Go" went to number one. Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, it established the prototype for their run of five consecutive number-one hits in 1964-1965 (also including "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Come See About Me," and "Back in My Arms Again"). Ross' cooing vocals would front the Supremes' decorative backup vocals, put over on television and live performance with highly stylized choreography and visual style. Holland-Dozier-Holland would write and produce all of the Supremes' hits through the end of 1967.

Not all of the Supremes' singles went to number one after 1965, but they usually did awfully well, and were written and produced with enough variety (but enough of a characteristic sound) to ensure continual interest. The chart-topping (and uncharacteristically tough) "You Keep Me Hangin' On" was the best of their mid-period hits. Behind the scenes, there were some problems brewing, although these only came to light long after the event. Other Motown stars (most notably Martha Reeves) resented what they perceived as the inordinate attention lavished upon Ross by Gordy, at the expense of other artists on the label. The other Supremes themselves felt increasingly pushed to the background. In mid-1967, as a result of what was deemed increasingly unprofessional behavior, Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong (from Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles). Ballard become one of rock's greatest tragedies, eventually ending up on welfare, and dying in 1976. After Ballard's exit, the group would be billed as Diana Ross & the Supremes, fueling speculation that Ross was being groomed for a solo career.

The Supremes had a big year in 1967, even incorporating some mild psychedelic influences into "Reflections." Holland-Dozier-Holland, however, left Motown around this time, and the quality of the Supremes' records suffered accordingly (as did the Motown organization as a whole). The Supremes were still superstars, but as a unit, they were disintegrating; it's been reported that Wilson and Birdsong didn't even sing on their final hits, a couple of which ("Love Child" and "Someday We'll Be Together") were among their best. In November 1969, Ross' imminent departure for a solo career was announced, although she played a few more dates with them, the last in Las Vegas in January 1970. Jean Terrell replaced Ross, and the group continued through 1977, with some more personnel changes (although Mary Wilson was always involved).

Some of the early Ross-less singles were fine records, particularly "Stoned Love," "Nathan Jones," and the Supremes-Four Tops duet "River Deep -- Mountain High." Few groups have been able to rise to the occasion after the loss of their figurehead, though, and the Supremes proved no exception, rarely making the charts after 1972. It is the Diana Ross-led era of the 1960s for which they'll be remembered. ~ Richie Unterberger, Rovi Related Artists Supremes - Panache Report Myra Panache's book of original stories, "Book 1: Short Stories" has been released.

Titles include: "Ballin 4" "Downlow Escort" "Female Assassin" "Above Top Secret" "Inside The Life Of A $1,000 Per Hour Call Girl" (Prequel to $20,000 Per Weekend Call Girl), "Female Seeking Female" (Personal Ad Nightmare) and "Experiments." To order, click on the following link, Book 1: Short Stories by Myra Panache THE SUPREMES: The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active from 1959 until 1977, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway showtunes, psychedelia, and disco. One of Motown's signature acts, The Supremes were the most successful African-American musical act of the 1960s, recording twelve American number-one hits between 1964 and 1969. Many of these singles were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland.

The crossover success of the Supremes during the mid-1960s paved the way for future black soul and R&B acts to gain mainstream audiences both in the United States and overseas. Founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglas public housing project in Detroit, were the sister act to The Primes (later The Temptations). In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown, and the group signed with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes. Martin left at the end of 1961, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. After they achieved success in the mid-1960s with Ross as the lead singer, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1967, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Ross left the group for a successful solo career in 1970, and was replaced by Jean Terrell.

After 1972, the lineup of the Supremes changed frequently, with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all becoming members before the group ended its eighteen-year existence in 1977. In 1958, Florence Ballard—a junior high school student in the Detroit housing projects—met and became acquainted with Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks, two members of a Detroit male singing group known as The Primes. Since Ballard herself also sang, the Primes' manager Milton Jenkins asked Florence in early 1959 to create a sister group called The Primettes. Ballard recruited her best friend Mary Wilson, who recruited classmate Diane Ross; Jenkins added Paul Williams' girlfriend Betty McGlown to complete the lineup. The Primettes soon began performing at record hops, social clubs, and talent shows around the Detroit area. One of the girls' goals was to get signed to the then-new local Motown record label. They auditioned a number of times for label head Berry Gordy, who turned them down based on his feeling that the girls were too young and lacked experience.

Undaunted, The Primettes made a single for the Lupine label in 1960, "Tears of Sorrow," backed with "Pretty Baby," which failed to find an audience. During that same year, McGlown left the group to concentrate on her school studies and was replaced by Barbara Martin. In January 1961, Gordy finally relented and decided to sign the group to Motown on the condition that they change their name (the Primes had by this time combined with Otis Williams & the Distants and would soon sign to Motown as The Temptations). Gordy gave Ballard a list of names to choose from; she chose The Supremes, which both Wilson and Ross disliked at first, thinking it too masculine. However, Gordy liked it, and the name stuck. The Supremes signed with Motown on January 15, 1961. That fall Martin left to start a family and the group continued as a trio. Between 1961 and 1963, the Supremes released eight singles, all of which missed the US Top 40.

Jokingly referred to as the "no-hit Supremes" around Motown's "Hitsville U.S.A." offices, the girls tried to make up for their lack of a bonafide hit by taking on any chore that was available at the studio, including performing hand claps and singing backup for Motown artists such as Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. During these early years, all three members took turns singing lead on various songs—Mary Wilson favoring the ballads, Florence Ballard the more soulful and up-tempo songs, and Diane Ross the more mainstream pop numbers. Most of their early material was written and produced by either Berry Gordy or Smokey Robinson. In December 1963, the Supremes finally scored their first US Top 40 hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes," which charted at number 23 on the Billboard pop chart. "Lovelight" was the first of many Supremes songs written by the Motown songwriting and production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland.

A few months later, Berry Gordy made Diane Ross, now going by Diana, the sole lead singer of the group, because he felt her higher register would help the group cross over to white audiences. Ballard and Wilson were periodically given solos on Supremes albums, and Ballard continued to sing her solo number, "People," in concert for the next two years. The cover to The Supremes' 1964 LP Where Did Our Love Go. From left to right: Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, and Diana Ross. In the spring of 1964, the Supremes recorded a single entitled "Where Did Our Love Go." The song was originally intended by Holland-Dozier-Holland for The Marvelettes, who rejected it. Although the Supremes did not like the idea of recording a second-hand song, they didn't feel they had a choice, given their track record. In August 1964, while traveling as a part of Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars tour, "Where Did Our Love Go" reached number one on the US pop charts, much to the surprise and delight of the group. It was also their first song to reach the UK pop charts, going to number three.

"Where Did Our Love Go" was followed by four more US number-one hits: "Baby Love" (also a number-one hit in the United Kingdom), "Come See About Me", "Stop! In the Name of Love," and "Back in My Arms Again." "Baby Love" was nominated for the 1965 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, and "Stop! In the Name of Love" was nominated for the 1966 Grammy for Best Contemporary Rock & Roll Group Vocal Performance. After 1965, the Supremes' singles were less uniformly massive, though they still charted in the Top 10 on a regular basis. The combination of Holland-Dozier-Holland's songwriting and production, Ross' lead vocals, and Wilson and Ballard's background vocals made for a winning combination. Unlike their predecessors, the Supremes became the first black female performers to embrace a more feminine image. Much of this was accomplished at the behest of Motown chief Berry Gordy and Maxine Powell, who ran Motown's in-house finishing school and Artist Development department.

Also, unlike many of her contemporaries, Diana Ross sang in a thin, calm voice, and her vocal styling was matched by having the girls embellish their own femininity instead of imitating the qualities of male groups. Instead of the plain appearances and basic dance routines, the Supremes' on-stage appearance featured high-fashion gowns and wigs, detailed makeup, and graceful choreography created by Motown choreographer Cholly Atkins. Gordy wanted the Supremes, like all of his performers, to be equally appealing to black and white audiences, and he also sought to erase the image of black performers as being unrefined or lacking class. By 1965, the Supremes were international stars. They toured the globe, becoming almost as popular abroad as they were in America. Almost immediately after their first number-one hits, they recorded songs for motion picture soundtracks, appeared in the 1965 film Beach Ball, and endorsed dozens of products, even at one point having their own brand of bread.

By the end of 1966, their number-one hits also included "I Hear a Symphony,""You Can't Hurry Love", and "You Keep Me Hangin' On," and their 1966 album The Supremes A' Go-Go became the first album by a female group to make it to number-one on the US album chart. Popular with white audiences as well as black audiences, Gordy had the Supremes cater to their middle American fan base, grooming them for performances at renowned supper clubs such as the Copacabana in New York. Broadway and pop standards were incorporated into their repertoire alongside their own hit songs. As a result, the Supremes were arguably the first black musical act – male or female – to become a complete crossover success since the days of Cab Calloway. The black rock and roll musicians of the 1950s saw many of their hit tunes covered by white musicians, with the covers achieving more fame and sales success than the originals. Partially because of Diana Ross’ pop-friendly voice, The Supremes became hugely popular with international mainstream audiences.

The group broke down many racial barriers, becoming one of the first black musical acts to appear regularly on television programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show, Hullabaloo, The Hollywood Palace, and The Della Reese Show, and achieving the crossover success Berry Gordy had been pushing for, paving the way for the mainstream success of labelmates such as The Temptations, The Four Tops, and Motown's 1970s pop sensation The Jackson 5. Personnel problems within the group and within Motown Records' stable of performers led to tension among the Supremes. Many of the other Motown performers, particularly Martha Reeves of the Vandellas, felt that Berry Gordy was lavishing too much attention upon The Supremes and upon Diana Ross in particular. A resulting romantic relationship between Gordy and Ross further complicated matters, creating a divide between Ross and the other Supremes. As Ross became the focal point of the group, Florence Ballard began to feel pushed aside in the group she had started. Depression caused Ballard to start drinking excessively, and she gained weight until she no longer could wear many of her outfits. The friendship, and later the working relationship, between Ross and Ballard became strained.

Although the Supremes scored two number-one hits during the first quarter of 1967, "Love is Here and Now You're Gone" and "The Happening," the group as a unit began to disintegrate. In late 1966, rumors began circulating that Motown would be renaming the group Diana Ross & the Supremes, a change which was officially announced in early 1967. After learning that Ross would begin receiving top billing, a number of the lead singers of other Motown acts demanded the same treatment: The Miracles had already become Smokey Robinson & the Miracles two years prior, Martha & the Vandellas became Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, and David Ruffin unsuccessfully lobbied to have the Temptations renamed as David Ruffin & the Temptations. Although Gordy maintained that the name change was done so that Motown could demand more money for live bookings (because they would be providing two acts – a lead singer and a group – instead of just one), the name change sparked rumors of a possible Ross solo career, and helped to tear the group completely apart.

By 1967, Ballard would sometimes arrive at shows too drunk to perform, or not show at all. Often during live shows in 1967, she would be replaced by Marlene Barrow of Motown's in house backing group, The Andantes. In April 1967, Gordy contacted Cindy Birdsong, a member of Patti LaBelle & the Blue Belles who superficially resembled Ballard, and began plans to bring her in as Ballard's replacement. Birdsong and Ballard alternated performance dates for the next few months, as Birdsong was still committed to the Blue-Belles through the end of June. Birdsong's first appearance with The Supremes was an April 29, 1967 engagement at the Hollywood Bowl. June 28, 1967 marked the group's first appearance as Diana Ross & the Supremes at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. After the first show, Ballard was permanently fired from the Supremes, and Birdsong officially assumed her place during the second show. A month later, Motown released "Reflections," a number-two US Billboard hit single the first single to feature the new group name.

Diana Ross & the Supremes Greatest Hits, a number-one album in both the US and the UK, became the first album to do so that August. Florence Ballard's release from Motown was made final on February 22, 1968, with Ballard receiving a one-time payment of $139,804.94 in royalties and earnings. Attempting a solo career with ABC Records, Ballard's two 1968 singles failed to chart and her solo album was shelved. In 1971, Ballard sued Motown for $8.7 million, claiming that Gordy and Diana Ross had conspired to force her out of the group; the judge ruled in favor of Motown. Ballard eventually sank into poverty and died on February 22, 1976 at the age of thirty-two. Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown in late 1967 after a dispute with the label over royalties and profit sharing, and the quality of Motown's output (and Diana Ross & the Supremes' records in particular) began to falter.

From the release of "Reflections" in 1967 to the release of "The Weight" in 1969, only six out of the eleven released singles reached the Top 20, and only one of those, 1968's "Love Child", made it to number-one. Because of the tension within the group and stringent touring schedules, neither Mary Wilson nor Cindy Birdsong appear on many of these singles; they were replaced on these recordings by session singers such as The Andantes. The changes within the group and their decreasing sales were signs of changes within the music industry. The gospel-based soul of female performers like Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight of The Pips had eclipsed the Supremes' pop-based sound. In a cultural climate now influenced more than ever by countercultural movements such as the Black Panther Party, the Supremes found themselves attacked for not being "black enough," and lost ground in the black music market as a result. In mid-1968, Motown began a number of high-profile collaborations for the Supremes with their old colleagues, The Temptations.

Besides the fact that both groups had come up together, the pairings also made financial sense, since the Supremes had a mostly white fanbase, and the Temptations a mostly black fanbase. Among the joint projects were two studio LPs (Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations, featuring the number-two hit single "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", and Together, a joint tour, and two NBC television specials, TCB (aired December 9, 1968) and G.I.T. on Broadway (aired November 12, 1969). Exit Diana Ross By 1969, Motown had begun plans for a Diana Ross solo career. A number of candidates, most notably Syreeta Wright, were considered to replace Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes. After seeing 24-year-old Jean Terrell performing with her brother Ernie in Florida, Berry Gordy decided that she would be Ross' replacement. Terrell was signed to Motown and began recording the first post-Ross Supremes songs with Wilson and Birdsong during the day, while Wilson and Birdsong toured with Ross at night.

At the same time, Diana Ross began making her first solo recordings. One of them, "Someday We'll Be Together", was set to be her first solo single; Gordy instead had the song released as the final Diana Ross & the Supremes single. In November 1969, Ross' solo career was officially announced. The next month, "Someday We'll Be Together" hit number-one on the American pop charts, becoming not only the Supremes' final number-one hit, but also the final number-one hit of the 1960s. The cover of The Supremes' 70s Anthology shows Jean Terrell, Cindy Birdsong, and Mary Wilson in 1970. A photograph similar to this one was used on the cover for the Supremes' 1970 LP New Ways But Love Stays. Diana Ross & The Supremes gave their final performance together on January 14, 1970 at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas; a live recording of the performance was released later that year in a double-LP box set entitled Farewell. After the Frontier Hotel performance, Ross officially began her career as a solo performer.

Over the next twelve years, Ross would record six number-one Billboard pop hits on her own, among them songs like "Touch Me in the Morning," "Love Hangover", and "Upside Down." In addition, Motown successfully helped Ross break into acting, featuring her as the star of three Motown-produced feature films: Lady Sings the Blues, Mahogany, and The Wiz. As Ross prepared her debut solo album, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong continued working with Jean Terrell on the first post-Ross Supremes album, Right On. The Terrell-led Supremes –known unofficially at first as "The New Supremes," and in later years informally called the "70's Supremes" – had a few hits of their own, including the US and UK Top Twenty hits "Up the Ladder to the Roof" (US #10, UK #6), "Stoned Love" (US #7, UK #3), and "Nathan Jones" (US #16, UK #5), all of which were produced by Frank Wilson.

Each of these three singles were also R&B Top Ten hits, with "Stoned Love" going to number-one on the R&B charts. Songwriting/production team Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson produced another Top 20 hit for the group, a Supremes/Four Tops duet version of Ike & Tina Turner's "River Deep - Mountain High." Many music critics proclaimed the "New Supremes" as a "blacker" act than the Ross-led group, if not quite as unique. In 1972, The Supremes had their last Top 20 hit single release, "Floy Joy," written and produced by former Miracle, Smokey Robinson. Motown, which by then was moving from Detroit to Los Angeles to break into motion pictures, put only limited effort into promoting The Supremes' new material, and their popularity and sales began to wane. Cindy Birdsong left the group in April 1972, after recording the Floy Joy album, to start a family; her replacement was Lynda Laurence, a former member of Stevie Wonder's backup group, Wonderlove.

Successful producer Jimmy Webb was brought in to produce the group's next LP, The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb, but the album and its only single "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" failed to make an impact on the Billboard pop chart, with "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" charting at number 85. In late 1973, Laurence prevailed upon her old mentor Stevie Wonder to write and produce a hit for the Supremes, but the resulting "Bad Weather" only made it to number 87 on the US pop charts and number 37 in the UK. At this time, Jean Terrell decided to leave the group and was replaced by Scherrie Payne, sister of Freda Payne. Almost immediately afterward, Laurence left for the same reason as Birdsong – to start a family – and, ironically, was replaced by Birdsong. Between the departures of Terrell and Laurence in 1973 and the first Scherrie Payne-lead Supremes single, "He's My Man", in 1975, Motown was slow in producing contracts for Payne and the returning Birdsong.

However, in time, Wilson, Payne, and Birdsong continued to record and perform with little success, although "He's My Man," from the album The Supremes reached number-one on the US disco chart in 1975. In 1976, Birdsong, dissatisfied with the management of the Supremes (handled at the time by Mary Wilson's then-husband Pedro Ferrer), left again and was replaced by Susaye Greene, another former member of Wonderlove. This final version of the Supremes released two albums, High Energy and Mary, Scherrie & Susaye, both of which reunited the Supremes with Holland-Dozier-Holland. During that same year, the Supremes released "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking," their final Top 40 hit. On Sunday June 12, 1977, supported by singer/songwriter Billy Ocean, the Supremes performed their farewell concert at the Drury Lane Theatre in London and officially disbanded.

After their disbanding and announcements that all three members (particularly Wilson) would begin solo careers, there were soon rumors that Payne and Greene had auditioned several candidates for Wilson's replacement, including Joyce Vincent Wilson formerly of Tony Orlando and Dawn. In 1979, Wilson had her first solo album, Mary Wilson, released by Motown, which included a single entitled "Red Hot." That same year, Payne and Greene released an album entitled Partners under the names "Scherrie & Susaye." Scherrie Payne released a single titled "Fly"; the single's b-side, "When I Looked At Your Face," was recorded for the Jodi Foster film Moi Fleur Bleu. On December 20, 1981, the Tony Award-winning musical Dreamgirls opened at the Imperial Theater on Broadway and ran for 1522 performances. The musical was loosely based on the history of the Supremes, following the story of The Dreams, an all-girl singing trio from Chicago who become music superstars. Mary Wilson loved the musical, but Diana Ross was reportedly angered by it and refused to see it.

A motion picture adaptation of Dreamgirls is being produced for DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures for release in December 2006. The feature-film version of Dreamgirls is being written and directed by Bill Condon, and will star Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose, Eddie Murphy, and Danny Glover. Two of the Supremes have written autobiographies. Mary Wilson's autobiography Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supreme was published in 1986, and in 1990, she published the follow-up Supreme Faith: Someday We'll Be Together. In January 2000, the two books were released together as Dreamgirl & Supreme Faith: My Life as a Supreme, and included an afterword; Dreamgirl remains one of the best-selling rock-and-roll books of all time. Diana Ross had her own autobiography, Secrets of a Sparrow: Memoirs, published in 1993. Unlike Wilson's books, her book received poor reviews and disappointing sales.

Although the Supremes were twice nominated for a Grammy Award – for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording ("Baby Love," 1965) and Best Contemporary Rock & Roll Group Vocal Performance ("Stop! In the Name of Love", 1966) – they never won an award in competition. Three of their songs – "Where Did Our Love Go" and "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (both 1999) and "Stop! In the Name of Love" (2001) – have been named to the Grammy Hall of Fame. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994, and entered into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998. In addition, the Supremes songs "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "You Can't Hurry Love" are among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

The black girl groups that have succeeded them in popular music, including The Three Degrees, The Emotions, The Pointer Sisters, En Vogue, TLC, and Destiny's Child, have shown the influence that the Supremes and Motown had during the 1960s. The Supremes were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998. Reunions Fan interest made the idea of a Supremes reunion tour a very profitable one during the 1980s. Diana Ross briefly reunited with Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong to perform "Someday We'll Be Together" on the "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" television special, broadcast on NBC on May 16, 1983. Their performance ended abruptly when Ross pushed Wilson onstage during the performance, and later pulled the microphone from Wilson's face while she was inviting Berry Gordy, sitting in the theatre balcony, to come down and join everyone onstage. Although these altercations were deleted from the broadcast edit of the special, they were widely reported and reinforced Ross' image as an egotistical, manipulative diva.

In 1986, Jean Terrell, Scherrie Payne, and Lynda Laurence began touring the US, Europe and Japan as FLOS: Former Ladies of the Supremes. Terrell, Laurence, and Scherrie Payne recorded a cover of "Stoned Love" for British producer Ian Levine in 1989. When Terrell decided to quit to return to the family business, in 1992, new member Sundray Tucker stepped in and the trio continued performing and recording. Their first release was an album for the U.S. based Altair label titled Supreme Voices, which was recorded in the U.S. for producer Rick Gianatos. The ladies then hooked up with British producer Steve Weaver, which resulted in the album Supremely Yours on the Reflections label. Supremely Yours included a cover of The Supremes' 1971 single "Touch." FLOS then embarked on the project of re-recording virtually all of the Supremes' hits, and these tracks appear on numerous "greatest hits" compilations, billed as being by the Supremes, around the world.

Payne and Laurence continue to tour under the FLOS name with third member Freddi Poole, who joined the group in 1996. FLOS celebrated their twentieth anniversary in 2006. In 2000, plans were made for Ross to join Wilson and Birdsong for a planned Diana Ross & the Supremes: Return to Love tour. However, Wilson and Birdsong both passed on the idea, because, while the promoters offered Ross $15 million to perform, Wilson was offered $3 million and Birdsong less than $1 million. Eventually, the Return to Love tour went on as scheduled, but with Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence joining Ross, although neither of them were in the group at the same time as Ross. The public and music critics were disappointed by both this and the shows' high ticket prices, and, after playing only half of the dates on the itinerary, the tour was cancelled.

To view a performance of Diana Ross & The Supremes and David Ruffin & The Temptations, click here Supremes & Tempts EDITOR-PUBLISHER-FOUNDER: MYRA PANACHE THIS SITE IS UPDATED EVERY 4 WEEKS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, TITLE TRADEMARK REGISTER IN THE U.S. AND POSSESSIONS. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. The Supremes The Supremes were an American female singing group and the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960’s. Originally founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes’ repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul and disco. They were the most commercially successful of Motown’s acts and are to date. America’s most successful vocal group with 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown’s main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland.

At their peak in the mid-1960’s, the Supremes rivaled the Beatles in worldwide popularity and their success made it possible for future African American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglass public housing project in Detroit, formed the Primettes as the sister act to the Primes (with Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks, who went on to form the Temptations). Barbara Martin replaced McGlown in 1960, and the group signed with Motown the following year as the Supremes. Martin left the act in early 1962, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. During the mid-1960’s, the Supremes achieved mainstream success with Ross as lead singer. In 1967, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Ross left to pursue a solo career in 1970 and was replaced by Jean Terrell, at which point the group’s name reverted to the Supremes.

After 1972, the lineup changed more frequently; Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all became members of the group during the mid-1970’s. The Supremes disbanded in 1977 after an 18-year run. In 1958, Florence Ballard—a junior high school student living in the Brewster-Douglass housing projects in Detroit—met Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks, two members of a Detroit male singing group known as the Primes. Since Ballard sang, as did Paul Williams’ girlfriend Betty McGlown, the Primes’s manager Milton Jenkins decided to create a sister group to the Primes called the Primettes. Ballard recruited her best friend Mary Wilson, who in turn recruited classmate Diane Ross. Mentored and funded by Jenkins, the Primettes began by performing hit songs by artists such as Ray Charles and the Drifters at sock hops, social clubs and talent shows around the Detroit area. Receiving additional guidance from group friend and established performer Jesse Greer, the quartet quickly earned a local fan following.

The girls crafted an age-appropriate style that was inspired by the collegiate dress of popular doo-wop group Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers; and, for the most part, Ballard, Ross and Wilson performed equal leads on songs. Within a few months, guitarist Marvin Tarplin was added to the Primettes’ lineup – a move that helped distinguish the group from Detroit’s many other aspiring acts by allowing the girls to sing live as opposed to lip-synch. After winning a prestigious local talent contest, the Primettes’ sights were set on making a record. In hopes of getting the group signed to the local upstart Motown label, in 1960 Ross asked an old neighbor, Miracleslead singer Smokey Robinson, to help the group land an audition for Motown executiveBerry Gordy, who had already proven himself a capable songwriter. Robinson liked the girls and agreed to help, but he liked their guitarist even more; with the Primettes’ permission he hired Tarplin, who became the guitarist for the Miracles.

Robinson arranged for the Primettes to audition a cappella for Gordy – but Gordy, feeling the girls too young and inexperienced to be recording artists, encouraged them to return upon graduating from high school. Undaunted, later that year the Primettes recorded a single for Lu Pine Records (a label created just for them) entitled “Tears of Sorrow”, which was backed with “Pretty Baby”. The single, however, failed to find an audience. Shortly thereafter, McGlown became engaged and left the group. Local girl Barbara Martin was McGlown’s quick replacement. Determined to leave an impression on Gordy and join the stable of rising Motown stars, the Primettes frequented his Hitsville, U.S.A. recording studio every day after school. Eventually, they convinced Gordy to allow them to contribute hand claps and background vocals for the songs of other Motown artists including Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells. In January 1961, Gordy finally relented and agreed to sign the girls to his label – but under the condition that they change the name of their group.

The Primes had by this time combined with Otis Williams & the Distants and would soon sign to Motown as the Temptations. Gordy gave Ballard a list of names to choose from that included suggestions such as “the Darleens”, “the Sweet Ps”, “the Melodees”, “the Royaltones” and “the Jewelettes”. Ballard chose “the Supremes”, a name that Ross initially disliked as she felt it too masculine. Nevertheless, on January 15 the group signed with Motown as the Supremes. In the spring of 1962, Martin left the group to start a family. Thus, the newly named Supremes continued as a trio. Between 1961 and 1963, the Supremes released eight singles, none of which charted in the Top 40 positions of the Billboard Hot 100. Jokingly referred to as the “no-hit Supremes” around Motown’sHitsville U.S.A.

offices, the group attempted to compensate for their lack of hits by taking on any work available at the studio, including providing hand claps and singing backup for Motown artists such as Marvin Gaye and the Temptations. During these years, all three members took turns singing lead: Wilson favored soft ballads; Ballard favored soulful, hard-driving songs; and Ross favored mainstream pop songs. Most of their early material was written and produced by Berry Gordy or Smokey Robinson. In December 1963, the single “When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes” peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Lovelight” was the first of many Supremes songs written by the Motown songwriting and production team known as Holland–Dozier–Holland. In late 1963, Berry Gordy chose Diane Ross – who began going by “Diana” in 1965 – as the official lead singer of the group. Ballard and Wilson were periodically given solos on Supremes albums, and Ballard continued to sing her solo number, “People”, in concert for the next two years.

In the spring of 1964, the Supremes recorded the single “Where Did Our Love Go”. The song was originally intended by Holland-Dozier-Holland for the Marvelettes, who rejected it. Although The Supremes disliked the song, the producers coerced them into recording it. In August 1964, while The Supremes toured as part of Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars, “Where Did Our Love Go” reached number one on the US pop charts, much to the surprise and delight of the group. It was also their first song to appear on the UK pop charts, where it reached number three. “Where Did Our Love Go” was followed by four consecutive US number-one hits: “Baby Love” (which was also a number-one hit in the UK), “Come See About Me”, “Stop! In the Name of Love” and “Back in My Arms Again”. “Baby Love” was nominated for the 1965 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia the Supremes | American singing group | Britannica.com American singing group Alternative Titles: Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Primettes Related Topics African Americans The Supremes, American pop-soul vocal group whose tremendous popularity with a broad audience made its members among the most successful performers of the 1960s and the flagship act of Motown Records . The principal members of the group were Diana Ross (byname of Diane Earle; b. March 26, 1944, Detroit, Mich., U.S.), Florence Ballard (b. June 30, 1943, Detroit —d. Feb. 22, 1976, Detroit), Mary Wilson (b. March 6, 1944, Greenville, Miss.), and Cindy Birdsong (b. Dec. 15, 1939, Camden, N.J.). Not only were the Supremes the Motown label’s primary crossover act, they also helped change the public image of African Americans during the civil rights era.

With their sequined evening gowns and the sophisticated pop-soul swing given them by the songwriting-production team of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland from 1964 to 1967, the Supremes were the idealized look and sound of the “integrated Negro.” Indeed, the youth of America learned many of its first lessons about racial equality from teen magazines that documented every hyperglamourized move the Supremes made as they went from topping the pop chart to appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show” to sold-out Las Vegas , Nevada, bookings. Their story began humbly enough when a group of working-class girls from Detroit’s Brewster public housing project formed a singing group called the Primettes, their name derived from their sister-act association with the Primes, a forerunner of the Temptations . The details of the group’s formation (namely, who came first) have been disputed, but, from a series of permutations of five principals (including, initially, Betty McGlown), a quartet emerged that comprised Ballard, Barbara Martin, Ross, and Wilson.

After recording briefly with Lupine Records, the quartet signed with Berry Gordy ’s Motown Records in 1960. They changed their name to the Supremes before releasing their first Motown single in 1961, and upon the subsequent departure of Martin the remaining trio went on to score five U.S. number one hits in a row between 1964 and 1965. Similar Topics the Pointer Sisters But the Supremes didn’t catch on right away. It took a while to create the distinctive look and sound that ultimately made them famous. Gordy unsuccessfully paired the group with different musicians and songs for three years until he finally stumbled upon the right formula. In 1964 Holland-Dozier-Holland gave the Supremes their first number one single with “Where Did Our Love Go.” Embellishing Ross’s precise, breathy phrasing with chiming bells and a subdued rhythm section gave the Supremes an intentional lack of identifiable ethnicity .

Not really sounding “white” or stereotypically “black,” hit singles like “Baby Love” and “Come See About Me” (both 1964) sounded modern, upwardly mobile, and stylishly sensual in a way that appealed equally to adults and teens of all persuasions. The group continued to rack up chart-topping hits but was ultimately pulled apart by conflicting individual and corporate ambitions. By the end of 1967, the Supremes had lost both Ballard (who was replaced by Birdsong) and producers Holland-Dozier-Holland. The group continued recording for two more years as Diana Ross and the Supremes, largely to prepare the public for Ross’s solo career. Jean Terrell became the first of many new group members who helped Wilson keep the Supremes alive and recording for seven years after Ross departed in 1970. The Supremes, late 1960s. Frank Driggs Collection/Archive Photos/Getty Images Ross’s solo career was greatly aided by starring roles in films financed by her longtime mentor, Gordy.

Lady Sings the Blues (1972), Mahogany (1975), and The Wiz (1978) and their soundtrack albums kept Ross in the public eye and ear for most of the 1970s. The Boss (1979), produced by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, and Diana (1980), produced by Chic’s Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, were both hits, but aside from a controversial concert in Central Park , New York City , in 1983 and some American television appearances, Ross spent the rest of the 1980s and ’90s cultivating a foreign fan base that outstripped her popularity in the United States. Britannica Stories

Question: In 1964, what was The Supremes first number one hit single in the US?
Answer: Where Did Our Love Go